Staying Grounded with a Homemade Clay Mask -Guest Post from Hollie of In A Little Greenhouse

Today I am happy to share a guest post from the lovely Hollie with all of you! She's a seriously cool lady who runs a heartful blog filled with soulful magic and kind words.
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Grounding, rooting, connecting to earth.  What does that mean to you?

 Most people are familiar with the benefits of daily sunlight absorption, but grounding oneself to the earth is something that is not very routine with most people.   Grounding or earthing is a simple as it sounds.  Basically it is the act of being barefoot or having contact with the earth with our bare skin.   The idea behind this is that our bodies our conductors of electricity, just as the earth is.  When we feel out of sync, the grounding or earthing of our bodies to the earth can bring balance back to our bodies.   These are some of the benefits of grounding:

~Improves sleep and can help regulate sleep patterns

~Improves circulation

~Improves stress, anxiety, and helps with depression

~Balances the bodies electrical impulses

~Improves blood sugar regulation

~Helps to lower high blood pressure

~Reduces inflammation

~Blood thinner

The benefits go on and on, pretty amazing right?   All it takes is 15 minutes a day of bare skin to earth contact to reap these amazing benefits.  Summer is the perfect time to start your grounding practice, as the weather is in our favor.  

A good place to start is just walking on the grass or standing on the bare earth each day.  You can extend this to sitting on the earth or laying down so as much of your skin touches mama earth as possible.   Do whatever feels comfortable to you, there is no wrong or right way.

Not only are you reaping the benefits of grounding, but you will also fill up on your daily dose of sunshine.  Soak it in, breath deep and let mama nature restore you.

I know that getting outside or having the time to do this each day can be hard.  We are all so busy, and life never stops moving.  In the winter this can become increasingly difficult as well, since it is so cold and sometimes earth to skin contact is not a choice.  Here are some alternative ways that you can ground yourself:

~ Use Himalayan salt lamps, or candle holders in your home

~Bring nature indoors.  A few branches, stones, pinecones, feathers

~Craft your meals around root vegetables

~Burn unscented beeswax candles

~Drink burdock or dandelion tea

  ~Use good quality bath salts in your bath (Himalayan pink, black lava or red salt are all good choices)

~French green clay (my favorite!) or kaolin clay in your bath or use as a mask

Here is one of my favorite mask recipes.  The green clay is an awesome detoxer and an awesome grounding source.  You will need the following:

1/3 cup of French Green Clay*

1/3 cup of rolled oats

2 droppers full of Rosehip seed oil

10 drops of Roman chamomile oil

water, honey or 1 banana

Step 1:  Add the clay and rolled oats to a food processor or blender.  Blend up.

You can leave it on the thick side or blend into a fine powder, the results will be the same.

Step 2: Transfer everything to a bowl and add rosehip seed oil and chamomile oil.

Stir well until oil is blended in.

Step 3: Transfer everything to a jar or well sealed container

Step 5: when you are ready to use your mask, mix a few tablespoons with water, a banana (great moisturizer) or honey (awesome detoxifier, antimicrobial)  to make a paste.  I tend to make mine on the thicker side.  But mix until you have a consistency you like.

Step 6: Apply to face, feet, even to arms.  The green clay will help to remove impurities and is grounding.  The oats and chamomile oil are soothing and calming, while the rosehip seed oil is a great moisurizer. 

Step 7:  Sit down and relax, take some deep breaths, let dry for 10-15 minutes then rinse with warm water.   Voila!  Grounded, with soft smooth skin.  I use this up to twice a week.

I hope some of these ideas help you to start your own grounding practice.  Mama nature is a powerful healer, let's all take advantage of her love!

*French green clay can be found at most health food stores or at Mountain Rose Herbs.

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I am going to have to invest in some of that clay when I get the chance so I can try this. It looks divine! Thanks so much for sharing Hollie!

Manda Rave